4-H Member Spotlight

4-H Scholar Spotlight

Justis Marshall

The word “leader” could well be Justis Marshall’s middle name. As a 4-H scholar and freshman majoring in Agribusiness Pre-Law at Oklahoma State University, Justis has already been selected as a member of the President’s Leadership Council. He says he’ll be drawing on life and leadership skills gained from his 11 years in Kit Carson County 4-H clubs to help him succeed as a council member. “Growing up in a rural community, 4-H is something you’re always a part of but getting involved on a larger level I was able to gain valuable leadership skills,” he said.

Of his numerous leadership roles in 4-H, Justis points to his experience as Colorado’s State 4-H Vice President and the opportunities the position provided to work with youth across the state as having the most significant impact on him. “4-H has taught me the value of hard work, setting goals, being held accountable, doing your best, doing what’s right and serving others before self. It’s helped me see our world differently and that we each have the potential to make a bigger difference in the world.”

Horse, market steer, breeding heifer, market swine, rocketry, leathercraft and shooting sports are among the many 4-H projects Justis took on in his hometown of Burlington. “One of the great things about 4-H is that you can get into a lot of things. It’s really broad, he said. “With all the projects, it definitely gave me a base for work ethic.”

A bonus for Justis was the ability to make 4-H a family affair – both his parents and siblings have been involved in the program too. He certainly has exciting, busy years just ahead of him, but Justis expects 4-H will always have a place in his life. “I’m confident that one day I’ll put my kids through 4-H and give back to the program that gave so much to me.”

Brianna McBride

Brianna McBride was just 6 years old when she became involved in Colorado’s 4-H program as a Clover Bud. Today, as a fresh graduate of Windsor High School, her enthusiasm for 4-H is as strong as ever.

“I definitely learned a lot about how to be a good sport in winning and losing, and how to work within your club family,” she said. “There’s a lot of value in learning to work through issues and problems.”

Brianna is currently serving on Colorado State FFA Officer team, but eventually plans to attend Iowa State University and major in food science. “I would like to go into nutrition and business, creating products for consumers tied to dairy,” she said.

Showing and judging dairy cattle was Brianna’s primary focus in 4-H. Her experiences included traveling to the National Livestock Exposition in Louisville, Kentucky and attending a dairy show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. This summer will bring the bittersweet event of showing for the final time at the Weld County Fair.

Brianna says the support of her family and the Weld County Extension helped her succeed for more than a decade in 4-H. They’ve also helped create a life-long advocate for the program. “I want to become a leader down the road,” she said.